Diabetes Prevention Program

How the YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program Works

The YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program gets to the root of the diabetes epidemic by helping those at high risk of developing the disease make lifestyle changes. The program focuses on healthy eating, increased physical activity, and maintaining a healthy weight.

Participants in the YMCA's Diabetes Prevention Program meet in a classroom setting as a group with a trained YMCA lifestyle coach for 16 core sessions to learn and practice lifestyle skills. During the sessions they learn how to make healthier food choices, how to incorporate more physical activity into their daily routine and how to manage a healthy weight. After the initial 16 core sessions, participants meet monthly for added support to help them maintain their progress.

Studies show that lifestyle changes and modest weight reduction can delay the onset of diabetes by 58%. And, in pilots at our Vanderbilt and Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCAs, we've seen some real success.